The New Mask
by RyanRendan
Summary: Sakura got Kakashi a present for his birthday, the only problem is he hates it. KakaSaku
1. A New Mask

Ok! Heres my uh, 6th story I think. Probably. Just something to bide your time with. Anyway, on with the story! RnR.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any characters in this fic.**

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi was irritated. No, he was down right pissed off! There was no way, absolutely** NO** way he was going to wear this... this thing. The item of clothing he was referring to was a simple mask, just like all the others he had to hide away his face from everyone. Although there was one, and only one difference that this mask held. A difference so great, it made Kakashi want to katon it into ashes. The mask he had just received was...

_Flashback_

"_Kakashi!" Sakura yelled at her husband. "We're going to be late if you don't hurry up! Honestly, what would it look like if you were late to your own birthday party?"_

_Today was the day that marked yet another year he was growing older, yet another year closer to kicking the bucket. How Sakura could make mountains out of mole hills so easily was beyond him. All he said was he might not have a party this year and she acted like he had grew a fourth leg. He laughed at his own joke. "Hmm hmm hmm."_

"_Did you say something?"_

"_No, not at all." Kakashi said as he was lead to the hokage's office where the party and all the guests were waiting for him._

_Pause Flashback_

As he stood there with his mouth agape, wondering what to do, laughter and cries of "Put it on Kakashi!" and "It'll bring out your feminine side!" could be heard through out the hokage building.

_Play Flashback_

_As soon as they opened the door Kakashi scanned the room taking in everyone that was there. Team Gai, The Konoha 11 and their ex-sensei, plus a few others like Jiriya, Tsunade, and her apprentice Shizune. Kakashi never liked big celebrations and wanted to keep this as small as possible._

"_Yosh! My eternal rival has finally arrived!"_

"_Hmm? Did you say something Gai?" Kakashi said as he lazily gazed to the taijustu specialist._

_'No, not again!' Gai screamed in his head. "It looks like you still have that to cool for school aura around you. Just what I would expect from you."_

"_I still didn't catch that." Kakashi stated as he looked up from his current favorite edition of Jiriya's novel._

"_No! Twice in under 15 seconds! What has become of my youthful flame!?!"_

"_Gai-sensei, I still think your youthful flame burns the brightest in this room!"_

"_Lee!"_

"_Gai-sensei!"_

"_LEE!"_

"_GAI-SENSEI!"_

"_**LEE-**" Bang! Gai and Lee went down after the punch from Ten-Ten knocked them both to the floor._

"_How about we start opening the presents?" Shizune chimed in._

"_Yosh! Open my present first Kakashi!" Gai said as he jumped back to his feet appearing unharmed._

"_So who's should I open first?" said Kakashi as he ignored Gai._

"_Here! Open mine!" yelled Naruto as he shoved a large mess of wrapping paper towards him that was clearly in the shape of a ramen container._

"_I wonder what it is... Oh what a surprise, its ramen. Thank you Naruto."_

_The gifts came and the expected results were proven true as Kakashi correctly guess what each guest had gotten him. Lee and Gai got him new equipment, and by equipment I mean they got him a matching green spandex suit to go with theirs, Jiriya got him a pre-release copy of his latest Icha Icha novel, Hinata gave him medicinal cream, and the list went on._

_'Now I can get home.' Kakashi thought as he was turning to leave._

"_Kakashi. Where do you think your going?" Sakura asked, a bit agitated._

"_Home." he said simply as he made his way for the door again._

"_You forgot to open your last present, **my** present."_

"_Don't you think that'd best be done at home?" he questioned. Perverted thoughts of his 34th birthday and her 'gift' ran through his head as he remembered what she got him last time. It was one of those gifts that women got for men but actually wore them selfs... well not for too long. He saw to that personally._

"_No-" Sakura said as a small blush plagued her face, also remembering what happened the year before. "- I got you something I want everyone see you wear!" Sakura said energetic as ever._

_'I wonder what it is' he thought as he took the red box and quickly removed all of the wrapping paper and lifted the lid. Everyone saw a look of pure unadulterated horror they never saw before, make its way onto Kakashi's face... (well, the parts that they could see anyway) before as he held up a... pink mask?_

_End Flashback_

"Go ahead Kakashi, put it on!" Sakura said while smiling, radiating joy. She had spent literally **days** looking for what she thought was the perfect gift, and what could be more perfect than a mask that matched her hair?

_'Ok Kakashi-'_ he thought to himself _'-this is truth time. Just say "That with all the passion in my heart, I wish that this mask be burned with the highest fire justu known to man, stabbed by a cross like sword, and thrown into the deepest darkest parts of Konoha! Do it! You are a Jonin! You are in bingo books all around the world! You know over a thousand justu! You. Are. A. __**MAN!**__ You are-'_

"I love it Sakura." Kakashi said with a strained eye crease.

_'-a bloody coward!'_ His inner voice shouted.

"Are you going to put it on?" Sakura asked.

"Uh, um." Kakashi sputtered trying to come up with something to say.

"Go ahead." After a brief pause he said the most intelligent thing he could muster at the moment.

"No!"

"But why?" Sakura asked with a look of hurt in her eyes.

"It's **pink**!" he said lifting the mask up and shaking it for emphasis. "Pink is stupid!" Gasps were heard around the room and then he realized what he had said. "I mean on this! Not-"

"You think pink is stupid!?!" she shouted, tears threatening to run down her face "Fine! You'll never have to see pink again!" she shouted before she turned around and ran out of the room.

Everyone looked at each other in confusion as Kakashi slowly slumped down to the floor with a distant expression in his eye.

_'What have I done?'_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Well thats the first chapter. Obviously this won't be a one-shot and I'm a bit confused with what to do know. I have 1 vague finish I plan to do but no real thought behind it. Any suggestions at all are welcome. Later.


	2. A New Idea

Well... Theres no excuse for the lateness but sorry for the wait. Here it is dun dun dun dun! Chapter 2.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

_'What have I done?'_ Kakashi thought as the words repeated themselves in his mind. "I'm such an idiot!" he screamed to himself. He was sitting alone on his bed, but the once cheery household was dead silent. He stared at the clock, _3:48am._ He was so tired, yet he couldn't bring himself to sleep. He stood up and put on his normal attire. _'I have to clear my head.'_

)-------------------------------------(

_-three hours later_

Sakura was tossing and turning as she woke up, yet again, from another restless sleep. She stared at the clock that was mounted on the wall of Ino's apartment living room. '_I might as well get up.'_ Sakura thought as she slipped into her morning robe and proceeded into the kitchen. She mad a pot of coffee and stood by the counter to think.

_'Maybe I overreacted to what Kakashi said. After all it was only a mask.' 'Only a mask!?!'_ Her inner self yelled. _'Don't forget how long we looked for someone who could make that mask **perfect** for him.' 'Still its just a mask.' 'Wrong. Not just a mask, not just a present, but a sign of our love to him.' _

As Sakura pondered over what she had... well thought of, she reached into her robe and pulled out the cause of all the trouble. She stared at the inside of the mask to see the stitched-in message. _Happy Birthday Kakashi. Love, Sakura_

-------------------------------------

Several minutes later, Ino opened her bedroom room door to the smell of food. Still in her pajamas, she walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. "You don't have to make breakfast Sakura."

"Its the least I could do to thank you for letting me stay over here." Sakura said to her as she sat across from Ino, handing her a plate of food. "Besides it gives me something to do."

"Sakura, you need to stop this stupid argument over a silly little mask." Ino said as she nibbled on her plate.

"You just don't understand." Sakura said with an exasperated sigh.

"Tell me then! What is your reason for avoiding your **husband!?!** This is not worth losing him and you know it."

"I KNOW OK!?!" Sakura shouted, standing up, pushing her chair backwards. "I don't want to lose him, I just... I don't know what to do. I want to forgive him but I don't want to go crawling back to him and be walked all over. You know?" Ino sat taking in all the information and came to the conclusion that Sakura needed to be cheered up.

"Come on Sakura, I know where to go to make you happy." Ino said as she took hold of Sakura's hand and pulled her towards her closet, so they could change before going.

)-------------------------------------(

Several kunai sunk deep into the ground as Kakashi threw more at the target. He was gasping deep gulps of air as he tried desperately to do _something_ right. _'How long have I been out here?'_ Kakashi asked himself as he peered into the sky and registered it as around noon.

_'I need a break.'_ he thought as he leaned on one of the logs of wood that held fond memories of times past. He looked around the training field and couldn't help but smile at the warm memories that came flooding back to him.

_'This is the log I tied Naruto to when he tried to eat those lunch boxes.'_ Kakashi reminisced. _'Its hard to believe that he is so strong now. If he keeps it up he'll make Hokage for sure. If only he was a little smarter though.'_

He looked across the field until his eyes came to rest on a patch of dirt in the middle of the training grounds. _'And theres where I pounded Sasuke into the ground... well pulled actually.'_ He said as a soft smile came across his face. _'If only he had stayed with us, he could have been happy. He probably would have given me a run for my money with Sakura.'_ and as he thought that, his smile disappeared as he lingered on with the memories of his favorite pink haired medic/wife.

_'It used to be, I could teach the whole team a skill and she'd be the one to learn it the quickest. Not so long ago, I was the one she looked up to and respected. Now I don't even know if she wants to ever see my face again.'_ (It's not like he shows it off anyway)

His roaring stomach alerted him that he had once again, forgot to eat breakfast. _'I may as well go see what I can find to eat. After the meal I have to think of a way to win Sakura over.'_

_-------------------------------------_

Kakashi let his feet guide him as he traveled an invisible path. A path that a certain number one, hyperactive, knuckle-headed ninja had followed for most of his life. A path that lead straight to Ichiraku's ramen shop, while a certain blond was having a "light snack".

"I'll take 12 miso ramen bowls old man." Naruto said as he sat on one of the stools, prepared for his 1st ramen break of the day.

"Sure thing kid."

"Yo." Kakashi said as he sat on the stool next to Naruto.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here?" yelled Naruto.

"Well I was out clearing my head. Truth be told I'm trying to figure out a way to win Sakura back."

Naruto sat on his stool and thought as his ramen was set in front of him. Then he did something no one would expect. He had an idea. "Well if shes mad at you because she thinks you hate pink, why don't you show her how much you really like it." Naruto said between slurps of his ramen.

"Thats brilliant Naruto! I know exactly what to do. Thanks a lot!" Kakashi said before he bolted of towards the store that held what he would need to win his wife back. _'Naruto is smarter than I gave him credit for.'_

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yeah! I got it, and just made my quota. Would anyone like to see if they could guess what Kakashi is going to get Sakura? I'll try and get the next up A.S.A.P. Later.


	3. A New Begining

Here it is in all its late updated splendor, chapter three...Don't trust my updates...EVER!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

_Recap_

"_I KNOW OK!?!" Sakura shouted, standing up, pushing her chair backwards. "I don't want to lose him, I just... I don't know what to do. I want to forgive him but I don't want to go crawling back to him and be walked all over. You know?" Ino sat taking in all the information and came to the conclusion that Sakura needed to be cheered up._

"_Come on Sakura, I know where to go to make you happy." Ino said as she took hold of Sakura's hand and pulled her towards her closet, so they could change before going._

_)---------------------------------(_

_Naruto sat on his stool and thought as his ramen was set in front of him. Then he did something no one would expect. He had an idea. "Well if shes mad at you because she thinks you hate pink, why don't you show her how much you really like it." Naruto said between slurps of his ramen._

"_Thats brilliant Naruto! I know exactly what to do. Thanks a lot!" Kakashi said before he bolted of towards the store that held what he would need to win his wife back. 'Naruto is smarter than I gave him credit for.'_

--------------------------------------

_'Thought'_

"Speech"

Calligraphy

--------------------------------------

Sakura walked out of the door with a frown on her face as Ino followed and locked the door behind her. "Lets go Sakura. If we hurry we might get there before it turns real busy."

"But its only 7:40! And where are we going anyway?" Sakura complained as she crushed an unfortunate pebble into dust.

"The Spa!" Ino squealed. "We're going to have so much fun!"

)------------------------------------(

As Kakashi walked into the store he had just been reminded of, he made sure he had enough money to buy what he needed and walked over to salesman."Hello. How can I help you today?" he asked.

"I'd like one of these engraved with this word, and one of those behind the display case with this on it please... but in pink." after receiving a questionable look, he paid for them and left knowing what he had to do.

)-------------------------------------(

Sakura and Ino were walking side by side as they entered 'The Spa'. Walking up to the counter they noticed no one else was there. "Lets go look for someone to check us in." Ino said, leading Sakura towards the 'employees only' room.

As she was about to knock, muffled voices were heard on the other side. Ino, being the huge gossip that she was, listened in on the conversation. "...Did you hear about that pink haired girl leaving Kakashi?"

"No way! Do you think hes available?"

"I don't know but I intend to find out." the woman said as she opened the door and came face to face with an irritated Ino. "Uh, hello Miss. How can I help you?" she said nervously.

"We were just leaving." she growled as she stormed outside with a confused Sakura following her.

"I thought we we're going to have some fun at 'The Spa'."

"Not anymore."

"Well where to now? I'm getting hungry." Sakura said

"Well lets go find somewhere." Ino said as they walked around Konoha looking for somewhere they could eat.

)-------------------------------------(

_'Alright. If this works, Sakura will love me even more. If not... I'm screwed'_ Kakashi thought to himself as he sped out looking for Sakura.

After searching the town he found her at a coffee shop with Ino, eating and chatting. _'She looks so serene with that smile'_ he thought _'I really hope this works.'_

--------------------------------------

"Sakura." Kakashi interrupted "I want to talk to you... Its important." Kakashi said with a tint of sadness in his lone eye.

Sakura looked across the table to Ino as she nodded and left the two alone. "What is it?" Sakura asked as she slowly fingered the mask, still in her pocket.

"I wanted to apologize to you about... my birthday. I was completely out of line."

"..."

"I shouldn't have said what I said."

"..."

"Sakura... I'm sorry."

"...I forgive you." Sakura said as a tear rolled down her cheek. "It was my fault for overreacting. Besides, it was just a stupid birthday present." she said as she tried to fake a cheerful laugh.

"No Sakura. It meant more than that." Kakashi said as he moved to her and wiped the tear away. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pink headband and gave it to Sakura.

"Its beautiful Kakashi!" she said as she studied the head gear. It was a standard pink headband but had 'Kakashi' written on the backside.

"I was supposed to give it to you after this." he chuckled as he handed her a pink mask identical to his. The only difference other than color was that it had the word 'Love' on it.

Sakura jumped out of her seat at Kakashi and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love it!" she yelled as Kakashi wrapped his arms around her.

After a few moments that felt like hours, Sakura said "Promise me that this won't happen again."

"I promise." Kakashi said

"And promise me that you'll always love me."

"Itsumo." Kakashi said before he kissed her.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Itsumo means forever...(thanks Meg)

Well... There it is. I hope I didn't disappoint you all to bad. Merry Something-or-other to all and to all a good night. Later


End file.
